News and events

Articles highlighting the achievements and initiatives of members and students within the ACSC include:

• Study to investigate effects of Lantana on soil biodiversity - An MSc student will undertake an innovative research project to determine the effects of the nationally-significant environmental weed, Lantana camara, on soil biodiversity.
• ACSC member wins Queensland Spatial Excellence Award - For the 3^rd year in a row, a USQ Surveying lecturer has taken out the Excellence in Education and Professional Development Award at the Queensland Spatial Excellence Awards held recently on the Gold Coast.
• Director of the ACSC helps establish research links between Australia and China  -  Professor Roger Stone has returned from Asia, where he helped establish research links between Australia and China.
• Funding for research into saving endangered orchid - ACSC Members Dr John Dearnaley (plant biology) and Dr Andrew Le Brocque (ecology and sustainability) have received funding to save an endangered orchid native to South East Queensland.
• USQ and Chinese Ministry of Agriculture to sign MOU - Members of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture were briefed about the capabilities of the ACSC.
• Emotional Response to amalgamation no surprise to USQ Professor - Centre Member, Professor Grace Pretty spoke about the strength of response to the amalgamation of Queensland Councils.
• ACSC praised by cloud seeding expert - Dr Roelof Bruintjes from NCAR (National Centre for Atmospheric Research, USA) has praised the research being undertaken by ACSC members.
• International Climate Change expert visits USQ - Professor Gary Schaffer (University of Concepcion, Chile) presented a seminar whilst visiting USQ to undertake research with Associate Professor Joachim Ribbe.
• Satellite mapping to help endangered reptiles - A new ACSC-led project that will use satellites to map the habitat of threatened reptiles has received a grant from the Hermon Slade Foundation.
• ACSC and Condamine Alliance consolidate partnership - Representatives from the ACSC and Condamine Alliance gathered for a special ceremony at USQ.
• Grant for biodiversity trials - USQ Senior Lecturer in Ecology & Sustainability, Dr Andy Le Brocque, and his team in the ACSC, have received a $61,000 grant to continue grazing-biodiversity trials in the Traprock region of Southern Queensland.
• Professor Roger Stone addresses international climate workshop - Director of the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC), Professor Roger Stone has addressed an International Climate Workshop in Tokyo.
• Dust deposition my be slowing climate change - New research led by USQ Maths and Computing lecturer and ACSC Member, Dr Harry Butler is exploring how dry conditions caused by the drought may be helping slow climate change.
• USQ appoints Professor Roger Stone as Director of the ACSC - The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) has appointed world reknown climatologist Professor Roger Stone as the University’s Research Chair in Climatology and Water Resources and Director of the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC).
• Governor General of Australia visits ACSC - His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (Retd) and Her Excellency Mrs Marlena Jeffrey visited the ACSC to build upon their knowledge and interest in the environment and sustainability.
• Associate Professors elevated to Fellows of SSI - USQ and ACSC Members Associate Professors Frank Young and Armando Apan’s passion for Spatial Science has been recognised, after they were both named as Fellows of the Spatial Science Institute (SSI).
• USQ appoints Professor Roger Stone as Director of the ACSC - The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) has appointed world renowned climatologist Professor Roger Stone as the University’s Research Chair in Climatology and Water Resources and Director of the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC).
• Inaugural ACSC Seminar delivered by Dr Tomislav Petr - Development and freshwaters: Efforts to maintain healthy fish stocks in increasingly manipulated freshwaters of the world.
• National project studies wind erosion impacts on catchments - ACSC member, Dr Harry Butler is working with internationally renown researchers to study and model the environmental impact of dust storms on Australian catchments. Dr John Leys's Seminar 'Benefits of Linking Modelling to Experimental Approaches - A Case Study for Wind Erosion' (12.2MB, mp3) discusses the benefits of combining modelling with experimental observations to better understand wind erosion processes
• Prestigious Queensland Spatial Science Excellence Award for ACSC Researcher - USQ's Dr Armando Apan has been awarded the most prestigious Spatial Science award available in Queensland.
• ACSC hosts Brigalow conservation meeting - The inception meeting for an ARC-supported Brigalow conservation project was hosted by the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC) at USQ.
• Partnerships to search for answers - A new partnership agreement between the Condamine Alliance and USQ will improve the understanding of natural resource issues in the Condamine catchment.
• USQ scientists support water recycling - More than 40 USQ scientists and engineers have voiced their strong support for the Toowoomba City Council’s Water Futures Proposal.
• USQ lecturer receives $70k conservation grant - ACSC Member, Dr Martine Maron has received a $70k grant to fund a project that aims to protect the south-eastern red-tailed black-cockatoo.